Martin Shot Down But Far From Dead

VOTE '92

Candidates In The District 3 Commission Race Are Waiting To See Who Businessman Jim Martin Will Throw His 4,000 Votes Behind.

September 3, 1992|By Gerard Shields, Of The Sentinel Staff

TAVARES — As the political smoke cleared from Tuesday's election, Eustis businessman Jim Martin was looking more and more like former presidential hopeful H. Ross Perot.

The 64-year-old Martin was soundly defeated in his bid to become the District 3 commissioner. But, in losing, his importance to the final outcome of the race escalated.

Martin gained nearly 4,000 votes in the three-man race.

Commissioner Richard Swartz and former Tavares Councilman Jimmy Conner, who will face each other in an Oct. 1 runoff, now need Martin's voters and his endorsement.

''I've already received calls from Jimmy and Richard asking for appointments,'' said Martin, who once ran against state Sen. Richard Langley. ''I'm going away for the weekend - I'm just going to think about this, it may be important.''

Swartz was the top vote-getter in the District 3 Republican primary with 8,240 to Conner's 6,215. But he failed to get a 50 percent plus one majority, forcing the runoff.

The Swartz-Conner race now is the main commission attraction. In 1988, the two competed in a bitter Republican runoff with Swartz, also a former Tavares councilman, edging out Conner.

Anyone wanting to know how brutal the campaign could be just needs to look atthe last-minute campaign literature Conner sent to voters Monday night.

The red flier contained a picture of an inmate drinking a glass of wine, smoking a cigar, sitting with his feet up and watching cable television.

Conner used the pamphlet to criticize Swartz for voting for county budgets that paid for the jail. Swartz supporters, such as Umatilla resident Robert Willets, called the pamphlet ''the worst piece of sleaze.''

''Everybody has a record they have to run on,'' Conner said in response. ''Just look at the minutes of the meetings - we have done nothing but truth.''

Swartz said he wasn't surprised by the attack.

''I think it was typical of his whole campaign,'' he said.

Swartz now will need support from the woman he helped get elected to the commission in District 1 - Rhonda Gerber.

Leesburg resident Gerber, who ran on an environmental platform, aligned herself with Swartz's campaign. Many of Gerber's mailouts addressed the same issues as Swartz: criticism of the county garbage incinerator, growth plan and environmental standards.

The other Oct. 1 commission runoff will be in District 5. Umatilla City Clerk Welton Cadwell will face Umatilla Realtor and pawn shop owner Robert Martin.